AI Platform Launched to Map UAE Date Palm Varieties

A national digital platform has been launched in Abu Dhabi to catalogue and protect the genetic diversity of date palm varieties across the United Arab Emirates. Branded the UAE Digital Platform for Date Palm Varieties, the system uses artificial intelligence to identify and analyse cultivars, supported by thousands of images and digital records. The database currently covers more than 130 recognised varieties.
The platform was developed through a collaboration between the Zayed For Good Foundation, the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation and the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority. It functions as an integrated national database designed to support research, improve agricultural planning and strengthen long-term sustainability in the sector.
The system includes analytical tools to support decision-making and address challenges such as climate change and agricultural pests, including the red palm weevil. The database provides regularly updated information on each variety, including physical characteristics, productivity, nutritional value and economic uses. Data is sourced from government entities, research institutions and farmers, and is verified for accuracy.
The initiative is supported by an international expert team led by Abdullah Wehbi, a specialist in date palm cultivation and former representative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.